then things got serious.
jonah bet five hundred, and buck raised another five hundred, and jonah raised him back a thousand. now both were at about or a little over the limit of the money they could lay on the table.
the players who were paying attention expected buck to either call or fold - call unless he was snowing.
“i raise ten thousand,” buck announced, “and against it i got my ship amanda jones, berthed right now in vancouver.”
“it’s worth every penny,” buck continued, when jonah did not answer immediately, “just refitted out, and nice and snug in the harbor as we sit here.”
“it sure sounds worth having,” jonah admitted, looking right at buck, and keeping his fist on his five cards.
“got something to call it with then?,” buck asked, “course i’ll be happy to take ten thousand cash, if you can raise it.”
“i’m thinking,” said jonah. “let me think.”
jonah thought a bit, and then announced,
“i got something you might consider for your ten thousand.”
buck just raised his eyebrows.
“i bought a patent from a feller in portland, for a new type of caulking pitch - cheaper to make, and works better.”
a couple of the players, who were not shipmen themselves, smiled or snickered at this, but not buck.
“that sounds very intriguing, jonah,” buck said. “that sounds like something that could be worth a few dollars down the road.”
buck thought about it for a bit, and then he said, “i’ll take it - i’ll take your patent if you can’t raise the cash. and i’ll give you a week to raise the cash.”
“then i call,” said jonah.
“turn’em over,” said cole miller.
jonah had aces full. buck had four fours.
jonah gave up the patent he got from the feller in portland, and buck was on his way to building cheaper, tighter ships than his competitors and controlling the shipping business on the pacific coast.
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